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Delthia Ricks

Delthia Ricks

Author

Delthia Ricks is an award-winning science writer and author with stories published in Newsday, Discover Magazine, and the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. She has written four books, most recently "100 Questions and Answers About Coronaviruses." She holds degrees from UCLA and Columbia University, with an M.S. in Biology.

Articles by Delthia Ricks

Medical Xpress / Two experimental malaria vaccines show promise, with one slowing replication of active parasites in the bloodstream

Two experimental malaria vaccines are not only safe for humans, one of those immunizations prompted a slowing of the malaria parasite's replication in the bloodstream of clinical trial participants, scientists have found ...

Jul 31, 2023
Medical Xpress / Spatial positioning of enzyme helps natural killer cells distinguish healthy cells from diseased ones marked for death

Questions abound when it comes to the molecular mechanisms deployed by the human immune system to thwart cancer and infection, and questions especially abound when it comes to the precise steps taken by the innate immune ...

Jul 24, 2023
Medical Xpress / Experimental monoclonal antibodies can coax aggressive prostate and breast cancers into submission, finds research

Therapeutic antibodies that cause aggressive tumors to become susceptible to treatment are being studied with the hope of one day changing the fate of patients who either relapse soon after cancer therapy or whose stubborn ...

Jul 3, 2023
Medical Xpress / Global team of scientists discovers why herpes simplex encephalitis is so devastating in some babies and children

Defects in a single protein involved in cell death may impair the immune system's ability to combat a herpes viral infection in the central nervous system, scientists have found in new research that examines a pediatric infection ...

Jun 29, 2023
Medical Xpress / Sleep deprivation is a risk factor for Alzheimer's, say scientists who turned to animal models to find out why

Scientists have long explored the link between disturbances in sleep patterns and neurodegenerative diseases. Powerful evidence has emerged in recent years linking disrupted sleep to Parkinson's, and a massive body of research ...

May 31, 2023
Medical Xpress / The hunt is on for the telltale biomarker revealing precise degree of protection conferred by Moderna's mRNA vaccine

A new analysis is shedding light on antibody measurements that can help predict the protective capabilities of the Moderna mRNA vaccine for COVID-19.

May 30, 2023
Medical Xpress / Whether causing the common cold or COVID-19, coronaviruses deploy key enzymes to elude human immune response

The entire family of coronaviruses is equipped with multiple methods of evading the human immune system, and two new studies have taken a deep dive into how these viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, leverage highly specialized ...

May 26, 2023
Medical Xpress / Tiny protein apparently produces titanic impact in the lungs when encountering bacterial pneumonia

In the ongoing quest to discover which constituents of the immune system provide highly specified protection, scientists have found that a component of the innate immune system is endowed with the capability of guarding the ...

Apr 27, 2023
Medical Xpress / Killing is their job: Two studies analyze natural killer cells as they tackle the worst form of malaria

Scientists are unraveling the complex mystery underlying how the immune system mounts a potent defense against one of the world's most relentless killers—the deadly parasites that cause the worst form of malaria.

Apr 26, 2023
Medical Xpress / Tumor-infiltrating T cells may be markers to predict patients' responses to cancer immunotherapy

New insights into a population of tumor-infiltrating T cells may ultimately allow doctors to predict how patients will respond to checkpoint blockade immunotherapy, a form of cancer treatment with advantages that doctors ...

Apr 3, 2023
Medical Xpress / An antibody-based drug triggers rare inflammatory eye problems in macular degeneration patients

A drug approved in 2019 for macular degeneration apparently caused rare retinal side effects because of its interactions with the human immune system, two new studies have concluded.

Mar 31, 2023
Medical Xpress / Scientists shed new light on two proteins that exacerbate the progression of Parkinson's disease

Two proteins may be intimately linked to the progression of Parkinson's disease, a relentless and disabling neurodegenerative disorder that affects millions of people around the world.

Mar 28, 2023
Medical Xpress / Study: Experimental COVID shot made via egg-based technology elicits higher antibody proportion than mRNA vax

An experimental COVID-19 vaccine produced with technology based on a decades-old method, elicited virus-neutralizing antibodies in higher proportion than the amount induced by mRNA immunizations, a Phase 1 clinical trial ...

Mar 16, 2023
Medical Xpress / Human feces and urine contain a motherlode of health data: 'Smart toilets' detect daily fluctuations, serious disease

A disease-detecting toilet capable of a range of monitoring and surveillance activities could soon be reality, and while the device may test for everything from how fast your urine flows to reporting on your vital signs, ...

Mar 1, 2023
Phys.org / Scientists decipher how non-resistant forms of Staph aureus thwart antibiotics, almost like a superbug

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) has a slew of surprises in its bag of dirty tricks and among the most puzzling has been the ability of non-resistant forms of the bacteria to emerge unscathed, even after exposure to high ...

Feb 15, 2023